Staffordshire Schools Football Association

All three teams , the U14,15 and 16 boys take on Repton in their Annual Fixture on Saturday the 8th of October kicking off at 2-00pm.

All three squads will be named before the weekend. The matches provide excellent practice before the Midland Counties federation and National Cup fixtures. All players should report to the school at 1-15 (swimming pool car park) with the usual dress code of school uniform.

County Ties will be available at a cost of £11 .

The following girls have been selected to play against Cheshire Girls Under 14 's at Congleton Town FC on Wednesday 5th of October.

The game will kick off at 7-00pm and players are asked to report in school uniform as near to 6-00pm as possible.Detailsfor Satnav :

There will be an admission charge of £3 and £2 concessions.

County ties will be available for sale at £11

Staffordshire have accepted an invitation from Cheshire to play an Under 14 Girls fixture at Congleton Town next Wednesday 5th of October after they had been let down by their original opponents.

Julie and Tim the match co-ordinators will be in touch with the squad and more details will appear here later,

The playing season got underway on Monday with three teams in action. The Under 18 and 16 boys played the Andy Griffin Academy at Newcastle College whilst the Under 15 Boys travelled to Leamington to take on Warwickshire. All teams played full squads and everyone was given a chance to stake their claim in the starting line up for their respective teams .

On a grim wet night the Under 18's played some very attractive football and led 3-2 ar half time before adding two further goals to wrap up an emphatic victory by 5-2. A brace for England international Joe Harstshorne, from SUA, was matched with a pair of debut goals for Stafford GS's Will Byres.. Codsall's Tom Edge capped a fine performance with a goal and Aiden Stone from Wolgarston, also making his debut was rock solid as the teams stopper. Manager Mark Culverhouse was very pleased with the overall performance and hopes for a good run in the national competition where an away game against Worcestershire awaits.

The Under 16 team played without six regulars from last season to afford opportunities to boys who had performed really well in the trials. The resultant performance will give team manager Bailey Evans a selection headache as they played some outstanding football against a college side led by last years County U16 captain Jackson Brown who scored an outstanding individual goal during the game.

Staffordshire started the game very well but it took two excllent saves from Joe Trevor to keep the scores level before a flowing move saw a superb Tommy Wilkinson strike give Staffs the lead. Declan Arber caused mayhem in the Newcastle rearguard with his deft touch and strong running but it was Newcastle who equalised just before the break in a rare attack. The goal could have been prevented but it acted as a spur to the Staffordshire boys and a second Wilkinson goal nosed the Staffordshire boys in front.

Newcastle responded but a headed goal from Ryan Machin restored the lead before Jackson Brown's solo effort. Staffordshire got their just reward with a fine finish from Kayne Barlow to wrap up a well deserved 4-3 victory.

The Under 15's match report is to follow.

Manager David Ebbersson  has named the girls below to be invited to be part of the Stafffordshire SFA Under 14 girls squad for the forthcoming season. The girls who have been unsuccesful but who have been involved in the trial process will be invited to  number of coaching/traing events once a venue has ben secured.

The standard of player improves year on year and David will be writing to those who have missed out on selection and offering some feedback on where the girls can hopefully improve.

Please contact the website with acceptance of the invitation and incluse DOB and a mobile contact number.

The Under 18 Boys squad will play Newcastle College in a trial game on Monday 26th of September at Newcastle College with a 5-30 KO. The boys named below are invited to play in the fixture. All players need to confirm their availability by thursday evening at the latest by using the contact on the website. The boys who attend Newcastle College who are eligible for selection will be playing for the college against the County. Those players are ;

David Neligwa

Joe Minton

Albie Hylton Jones

Fletcher Rushton

Jackson Brown

Nico Watson

The usual dress code applies and players should aim to be at the college for as near to 4-30 as possible.

1 - Oliver Butler  Kingsmead
2 - C Bourne       St Thomas Moore
3 - Owen Bradbury - Cannock Chase HS
4 - Will Byers - Stafford GS
5 - Tom Edge Codsall
6 - James Davis - Walton High School
7 - James Elkes - Kingsmead
8 - Connor Grant Codsall
9 - Ryan Hanlon - Rawlett
10 - Joe Hartshorne - Staffordshire Uni Academy
11 - Reece Perry - Wolgarston
12 - Aiden Stone - Wolgarston
13 - Jamie Weldon - Stafford College
14 - Josh Wilson - King Edward VI
15 - Owen Wyatt - Leek College
16 - Dan Bolton - JCB Academy
17 - Adam Pope - Stoke
18 - Tyler Gough - ??
19 - Kieran T Brown - Weston Road
20 - Ed Capewell - Moorlands

Anyone who does not make contact and confirm their availability will be deemed to have declibed their invitation.

seeing likes of Ben Fox & Joe Sbarra in Burton Albion first team is why we run the academy

Above is the headline from the Burton Mail on the 19th of September. Ben Fox and Joe Sbarra were in the Burton Albion first team squad that played Brighton and Hove Albion in a championship match on Saturday. Both boys played for 3 seasons in the Staffordshire County sides and they, their parents and the football club were committed to Staffordshire.

Burton Albion have a refreshing attitude where they recognise the importance and quality of County football and see it as part of the boys education where they can play with freedom and express themselves. The Academy at Burton are providing a number of players this season to various squads and unlike some of the other professional clubs encourage their players to take part.

Some clubs who never give young local players an opportunity to play in their teams restrict and actively discourage players to play for their school or the county and then inevitably discard these youngsters at 16. Port Vale have a similiar attitude to Burton but unfortunately they are the exception rather than the rule.

It is absolutely critical that players should play for the enjoyment and love of the game and should be given freedom to express themselves and learn from their mistakes. The clubs and coaches as well as all involved in all areas of the game  need to give the game back to the kids and let them play with a smile on their face.

If like Ben and Joe they are good enough then their ability will shine through and give them a chance to play at the professional level. It is time for the parents to tell the clubs what they want and not allow football clubs to dictate what their children can and cannot do.

We are extremely proud in Staffordshire of how we provide opportunities and positive experiences for our young players both boys and girls and it is great to see some of our players gracing the fields in the football league. Others will follow in the footsteps of our two most recent young professionals as there is a wealth of talent in Staffordshire Schools, it needs to be recognised and nurtured. We are proud of you Ben and Joe.

Our ex County girl players are now also playing at the highest standard with Milly Elson and Holly Gibson in the Stoke City ladies first XI squad whilst a large number of girls are still involved in the reserve team and development squads. Long may it continue.

The following boys are invited to play for Staffordshire Under 15's against Warwickshire Under 15's on Monday 26th of September at Leamington Town FC KO 7-30.

Mark Warren the Under 15 match co-ordinator will contact all with further details.

George  Hill Sir Graham Balfour
Sam  Edmunds Wolgarston

Jack Elson Friary
Luke  Bourne Westwood College
Ben  Osbourne Cheslyn Hay
Anthony  Sheldon Wolstanton
Clark Haddrell EDA
Kadanie Nugent BWH
Connor Taylor St Peters

Alex  Hallchurch Wolgarston
Alex  Petrovics Wilnecote
Tommy  O'Hara BWH
Hayden Campbell Excel Academy
Tyler  Barnes Blythe Bridge
Luis Dos Santos Wilnecote
Jakob Priestman Westwood
Mason Ward Cheslyn Hay

Christian  Blanchette BWH
Junior O'Callaghan Friary
Lewis Salmon Moorside
Max Chimenes Excel Academy

County tieswill be available for purchase @£11 after the match.

The boys named below have been selected to play against Newcastle College in a trial game prior to the final squad selection.

The game is at Newcastle College and will kick off at 5-30pm promptly. All players should report in school uniform as near to 4-30 as possible.

Anyone who is unavailable need to contact the website as soon as possible.

Managers Dan Dawson and Gary Spruce have named rhe boys below as members of the Under 14 Boys squad for the forthcoming season. Congratulations to all the boys selected and commiserations to those who have not made the cut this year.

The match co-ordinator Mark Warren will be in touch with match arrangements fixtures etc in due course.

All parents need to contact the website to accept the invitation and provide a mobile number please.

The manager of the Under 16 boys Bailey Evans became a father for the first time today and all at Staffordshire Schools FA wish Bailey, Catherine and future Vila Centre Forward Harry well.

The Under 16 squad will now be published over the weekend. Apologies for the delay.

The girls named below have been selected to represent Staffordshire Schools FA for the forthcoming season.

Can all parents check that the school is correct and send confirmation to the website and include a mobile phone number and date of birth.. The match co-ordiator s Julie and Tim will be in contact in due course.

The boys named below are invited to be part of the Staffordshire schools'FootballAssociation squad for season 2016-17.

Congratulations to the boys selected and commiserations to those who have missed out this time. The selection process was extremely difficult as there were so many boys who were talented and the margins were so fine. All parents of the succcessful boys will be contacted by the match co-ordinator with details regarding games and expectations etc. The first confirmed fixture is the annual match against Repton School on Saturday the 8th of October when they will play the schools' Under 16 XI.

Two strikes by Shania Hales from DE Ferrers Academy ensured that Staffordshire Under 16 Girls lifted the ESFA Inter County Trophy for the first time in their history, after an epic battle with Somerset Schools at St Andrews.

Staffordshire started the game strongly and Shania Hales and Harriet Wellings both went close early with the strong direct running of Hannah Hampton causing panic in the Somerset rearguard. Early corners for Staffordshire led to nothing and Somerset eventually got a foothold in the game and some slack marking gave them a chance which was spurned. The back four of Staffordshire restricted Somerset whilst at the other end prompting from Phoebe Warner and skipper Anna King kept the pressure on and only a stunning one handed save by the Somerset keeper kept the scoreline goaless.

A great corner was spilled but Staffordshire could not capitailse whilst centre backs Molly Bruton and Alex Buck blunted the cutting edge of the Somerset attacks with some strong defending. On a big pitch manager Kieran Newey used the substitutes well introducing Lana Titley, Lydia Burgess and Charlotte Jarvis to add fresh legs, enabling the high tempo to be maintained. Half time 0-0

Somerset started the second half well and asked Staffordshire more questions and although Staffordshire still presented a threat only stout defending kept the scores level. Goalkeeper Charlotte Clarke produced two magnificent saves to keep the scores evenl and despite Beth Roberts and Tasia Brough's pace on the flanks Staffordshire had begun to creak. The defining moment came with 15 minutes left. Staffordshire attacked, a mazy dribble and cut back from Shania Hales to Ellie Bruton saw a despairing tackle block her shot  and the Somerset clearance found Staffordshire wanting and this time a brilliant save from Charlotte Clarke was hacked clear and the action shifted to the Somerset half.

Hannah Hampton cut inside opened up her body and struck a great shot the keeper could only parry and the predatory Hales picked up the loose ball rounded the keeper and fired home. The game opened up as Somerset went in search of an equaliser but the defining moment occurre six minutes from time. Both teams had changed their goalkeepers in the later stages of the game and whilst Staffordshire keeper Tiff Whelan was secure the Somerset keeper miscontrolled a back pass and Shania Hales snapped up the opportunity to clip the ball past her and into an empty net.

The girls from both teams were running on empty such had been their commitment and the introduction of Katie Jones, Harriet Welling and Tasia Brough gave fresh impetus to the team. Despite Somerset pulling a goal back from a corner and one or two nervous moment Staffordhire were able to see the game out and Anna King lifted the trophy to bring to an end an amazing season for the girls.

Somerset pushed Staffordshire every step of the way and deserve great credit for being part of a fabulous advert for girls footbal at County level.

@staffsschoolsfa will allow all to follow what is going on and will supplement the information available on the website.

Follow the account which is being run by Under 15 team Manager Bailey Evans.